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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented JIM 16. 1895.4

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No. 542,684. Patented July 16, 1895.

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UNITED STATES WPATENT OFFICE'.

i FRANK L. PARKER, OF VORCSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

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.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,684, dated July16, 1895. Application filed February 19, 189e. Serial No. 500,705. (Nomodel.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. PARKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Indexes, ofwhich the following is a specification. y

My invention relates to that form of telephone or other indexes in whicha series of indexed sheets are secured at dierent points to a suitablebacking, so that when folded back, either to the right or to the left,the outer ends of the sheets will be receded from each other and exposetheirindex characterssuch,

for example, as shown in the patent to Henry S. Bacon, granted October4, 1892, No. 483,595, and the object of my invention is to form acompact, simple, and durable index, which can be cheaply constructed.

To these ends my invention consists ofthe parts and combinations ofparts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out inthe claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of .drawings, Figure 1 is a front view ofa telephone index constructedaccording to my invention, the indexedsheets being turned to the left. Fig. 2 is a similar view With theindexed sheets turned to the right. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and showsthe means whichI preferably employ for securing my index in place. Fig.4t is a rear elevation of myV improved telephone-index. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view of the same on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is adetail view showing one of the indexed sheets and the supplementalsheets which are mounted upon the same.; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9illustrate modified forms of construction, hereinafter referred to. Y

Referring to the drawings and in detail, A designates a base or support,which may be formed of wood, cardboard, or other suitable material,andhas secured near its sides wire brackets B for supporting the leaves ofthe index when the same are turned back.

The wire brackets B may be secured to the base or support A by simplyhaving the ends of the wire passed through the same and then headedover, as shown.

, On the back of the base or support A and near its center I preferablysecure a tapering dovetailed cleat D, which is adapted to ,on either orboth sides. f

engage a tapering dovetailed slot formed in the inclined face'of asuitable bracket E..

The bracket E may be provided with an integral securing-screw F, or maybe supported and fastened in any other preferred manner.

By means of this construction it will be seen that the base or support Awill be firmly held and secured in such an inclined position that thesheets of the index may be turned back and will remain open.

It will also be seen that the base or support can be quickly removedfrom its supportingbracket by simply raising the same.

The form of index which I have devised is primarily intended to be usedas an index for containing the names of telephone subscribers.

-I have found that where there are alarge number of telephonesubscribers, if each of the index-leaves is secured to the base at adifferent point the index will be large and unwieldy. To overcome thisobjection I have provided the indexed sheets of my construction withsmaller supplemental sheets, which are secured to the inner edges oftheindexed sheets, and as these supplemental sheets do not extend to theouter edges of the sheets they will not interfere with the indexcharacter of the indexed sheets.

The supplemental sheets may be secured on either or on both sides of theindexed sheets and they are preferably formed of thinner material,although it is evident that cardboard or paper of the same thickness asthe indexed sheets may be used to `form the supplemental sheets ifdesired.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, H designates a series of indexed sheets,which are secured to the base or support at different points and areprovided with indexed characters near their outer edges. These indexedsheets may be fastened or bound to the base or support in any preferredmanner and may have supplemental sheets secured to their inner edges Theconstruction which ,I pre/ferably ernployis illustrated in Fig. 5. Inthis figure each of the indexed sheets H, except the outside ones, isprovided with two supplemental sheets, one on each side, and the indexedsheets are bound or fastened to the base or support A by means ofbinding-strips t', which ICO ` my index and a different manner ofbinding in the indexed sheets. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the base orsupport A is provided near its edges with wire hooks-or staples 10,which are adapted to tit into and engage a wire bracket E. The bracket Eis formed of a circular piece of twisted wire. The central twist or coil11 of this wire is adapted to receive a securinOf-screw 12, a `loop 13formed in the wire being adapted to serve as a brace for steadying thebracket. Extending f rom the central coil 11 of the bracket E are curvedwire arms 14 and 15, which terminate in twisted wire-sockets 16 and 17,which are adapted to receive the wire hooks or staples 10. The ends ofthe coiled wire-sockets 16 and 17 are extended, as at 18 and 1 9, andform brackets for receiving and supporting the indexed leaves whenthrown to one side.

In Fig. 7theindexed leaves H havea supplemental or thinner leaf hsecured vupon but one side, and the leaves are bound or secured to thebase or support A by means of binding- 'i strips t', but a singlebinding-strip being provided for each pair of indexed leaves, thebinding-strip being cemented or fastened to the same side of the indexedleaves on which the supplemental leaves are secured.

t designates a reinforcing-strip, which may be secured over thebinding-strips i and may be fastened in place by means of tacks s.

Fig. 9 represents a cross-sectional View of a still further modication.In this construction the base or support A is fastened or secured in asuitable backing A', as shown,the

backing A bein-g provided with a dovetailed cleat D for detachablysecuring the same in a bracket and having brackets B for supporting theleaves of the index when the same are thrown back in either direction.construction each of the indexed sheets has two smaller supplementalsheets secured on one of its sides, the sheets being fastened togetherand bound or secured to the backing A by means similar to those shown inFig. 7.

Iam aware that changes may be made in the construction of my improvedindex, and that the supplemental leaves can be secured to the inneredges of the indexed'leaves or to the base in many different ways, andthat the leaves may be bound or secured to `the base or support indifferent manners. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the exactconstruction which I have shown and described;

but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

In a device of the character described, the combination of a base orsupport, a series ot' indexed sheets, a series of smaller supplementalsheets, and binding strips having one edge lapped over and cemented orsecured both to ,the indexed sheet and to the supplemental sheet tofasten the supplementalsheet and indexed sheet together, and havingother gol-tions of said binding strips secured to the ase or support,whereby the indexed sheets will be secured to the support at differentpoints, and the supplemental sheets will turn In this therewith to formacomplete index, snbstantially as described.

In' testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK L. PARKER.

Witnesses:

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, E. M. HEALY.

